


no goodbyes.

by pricelessmaple



Category: Bodyguard (TV 2018)
Genre: Character Death Fix, David Budd Needs a Hug, Domestic Fluff, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Fix-It, Fluff, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Fluff without Plot, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Julia Montague Lives, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Post-Canon, Post-Canon Fix-It, Romance, Romantic Fluff, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-25
Updated: 2020-01-25
Packaged: 2021-02-27 12:15:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,278
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22407061
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pricelessmaple/pseuds/pricelessmaple
Summary: David reflects on his relationship with Julia. He's almost lost her twice. He can't afford to lose her again. She means the world to him, and he's afraid that they've just gotten lucky up until now. He doesn't need that luck running out any time soon.
Relationships: David Budd/Julia Montague
Comments: 10
Kudos: 77





	no goodbyes.

**Author's Note:**

> this is the very first time I have ever written for either of them, so please go easy on me  
> but this certainly won't be the last, because I have ideas for future Bodyguard fics, and hopefully I'll get more used to How The Fuck To Write These Characters

He watched her chest rise and fall, thinking about the heart thumping in her chest. She was alive - thank whatever god there may be, she was alive. David’s eyes darted over to one of the scars along her arm, sticking out of the sleeve, before going back to watching her steadily breathe. He knew it was weird to watch her sleep, and knew she’d probably say something if she knew, but he couldn’t help it. The thought of her alive kept echoing in his mind, as if he was still trying to grasp the concept. Between watching that stage blow to pieces in front of his eyes and sitting in the hospital, waiting for any sort of sign that she would be okay... he thought that perhaps, just for a second, that she was going to die. 

He had failed her, and yet, here she was, in his arms. He had failed to keep her safe. He would never make that mistake again. 

David ran his fingers through her hair, but tensed immediately when she stirred. Julia curled into his chest, and he could feel her breath on his skin. Goosebumps arose along his skin, the hairs on his body standing on end. She looked so peaceful, so relaxed, as compared to the stress that strained her face throughout the day. He wished he could stay like this forever with her. Just freeze time and stay right here. He knew that everyone seemed to need her, especially with all of the issues the UK seemed to be facing lately, but he didn’t care. He needed her more.

He glanced at the analog clock on Julia’s nightstand, sighing lowly at the sight of 3:37 am in bright green in front of him. He really should get to sleep, especially because he knew he had a shift with Julia in just a few hours, but he couldn’t close his eyes. Therapy had been helping him, he knew that, but he still was afraid to close his eyes and confront his demons. 

He planted a feather-light kiss on Julia’s forehead, his eyelids growing heavier by the second. He yawned, and let his eyelids slip close. 

Technically he was supposed to be sleeping down the hall, and he certainly wasn’t supposed to be in her bedroom, let alone her bed. But she wasn’t supposed to survive that bombing, so they had broken plenty of rules already - what was a few more?

She stirred again, but started to actually sit up this time. He tried to inconspicuously relax into the mattress, so she would believe he was asleep. Julia lingered for a moment before getting out of bed. He waited a few seconds before glancing over his shoulder, and watched as she walked into the bathroom. Ever since that bombing incident, David had been afraid of letting her out of his sight. They both knew she was growing impatient with his overprotective actions, even if she didn’t say it out loud. But he’d already lost so many people, and he had almost lost her twice. He had finally gotten her back, and he wasn’t about to lose her for a third time, especially not so soon. 

The door opened again and David rolled back over as quickly as he could. “Please go to sleep,” she groaned as she got back into the bed, and he wrapped his hand in hers. “You can go off-duty long enough to rest without the world ending.” 

He chuckled softly, and pulled her close to his body. “I can’t protect you if I’m not conscious.” David rested his palm on her cheek to feel what he couldn’t see, and she placed her hand over his. “I’m in your arms. Trust me when I say I’m safe.” 

Warmth shot through him and he couldn’t help the smile that tugged at his lips. His mind was off of the terrors that usually haunt his nights, and instead, he found his thoughts full of Julia. “As you wish, ma’am.” She snorted, and shook her head before curling back into David’s chest as she had previously. 

He didn’t know when he actually fell asleep, but he did know that it was incredibly difficult to convince himself to get up in the morning. Not when the bed was so warm and he had a perfect view of Julia getting ready from where he was.

He knew two things for sure: he needed to get to sleep earlier, because he could barely keep his eyes open, and he also knew undoubtedly that Julia would push him to get to bed in that persistent way that got him to fall in love with her in the first place. 

The duvet on top of him was cruelly ripped off of him, and he curled up into himself. “Give it back,” he moaned, and watched Julia put it off to the side. “I can’t very well go to work without you protecting me, now can I? So you really have no choice.” He grumbled in response and dragged himself off to the wardrobe, ignoring the smug smile on her face. 

I love you, he thought. I love you more than words can express.

But although he didn’t verbally express it, the look he gave her told her everything she needed to know. 

“I’ll see you downstairs,” she finally said, her voice softer than before, and kissed his cheek carefully. He just simply nodded and waited until she closed the door to open the wardrobe. 

David fished around among his clothes, pushing everything aside to get to a grey suit in the back. He reached into the pocket when he finally managed to get to it, pulling out the little velvet box inside. He flicked it open, gazing at the ring inside. It had once been the ring his father proposed to his mother with, and now it was his. It was far too soon to ask Julia, and they hadn’t even discussed making their relationship public. They had a while to go before he could even think about asking her, but he knew he wanted to. When he held Julia... it was different than Vicky. It made him feel different. He would always love Vicky, but he didn’t stay in love with her. There was a difference, he knew that. When he held Julia, when he kissed her... he knew that he was in love with her in a way he never had been with Vicky.

He heard the door creak open, and snapped the box shut. He palmed it and reached back into the wardrobe, pushing aside his clothes. “Do you need help?” Julia teased, walking back into the room. “No,” he replied with a smile. He leaned in and kissed her, pushing the box into a different suit while Julia was distracted by his lips. She let him pull her close for just a moment, before ending the kiss. “Twenty minutes,” she alerted him, and kissed him once more before walking away. Julia grabbed a file off of her desk and left the room, shooting one last lingering glance David’s way.

He took a deep breath and let it out, relieved that she hadn’t noticed - or at least, hadn’t said anything about it. It wasn’t time quite yet to propose. When they did marry, he knew she would want to keep her last name, and would put up a fight if he asked her to take his. Perhaps he would become David Montague, he thought with a wry smile. 

He used to wonder why he had to be the lucky one who survived Afghanistan. He’s never been happier to have made it out alive.


End file.
